By ROB HARRIS
AP Sports Writer
Associated Press Sports
updated 6:53 p.m. ET Sept. 10, 2011
LONDON (AP) -Andrei Arshavin gave Arsenal its first victory of the Premier League season on Saturday, exploiting Swansea's goalkeeping blunder to clinch a 1-0 win.
The Russia striker scored five minutes before halftime to bring an end to a six-match league run without a win stretching back into last season.
After collecting the ball, Swansea goalkeeper Michel Vorm tried to quickly clear it but his underarm throw from the right of the penalty area deflected off Angel Rangel's heel.
And the loose ball fell to Arshavin, who found the net from a tight angle.
"Confidence goes quickly and comes back slowly," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said. "We are not used to the situation we have been in."
But the Gunners lacked the ruthlessness to build on that fortuitous goal in their first outing since an 8-2 humiliation at Manchester United before the international break.
"It was vital for us to win the game," Wenger said. "We started quite well, but slowly the nerves took over and we played handbrake-ish, restrictive in the second half."
That Old Trafford setback, which left Arsenal with just one point after three matches, was swiftly followed by Wenger making a raft of signings in the three days before the summer transfer window closed.
Wenger insists that the spree was not a frantic reaction to the loss, but based on pessimistic medical reports for midfielder Jack Wilshere and defender Thomas Vermaelen who are among several key players out injured.
All five newcomers made the bench, but only three featured on Saturday, with defender Per Mertesacker and midfielder Mikel Arteta starting, while Yossi Benayoun, on loan from Chelsea, later replaced Arshavin.
Arteta was seen as a direct replacement for the departed Cesc Fabregas and adeptly took the place of the former captain.
The former Everton midfielder nearly helped Arsenal make the perfect start after two minutes, slipping a perfect ball through to Aaron Ramsey but the Wales captain fired over.
"Arteta played very well, particularly in the first half," Wenger said. "You can see he will bring us some technical security that is needed."
Mertesacker had a tougher start to life in England, with Danny Graham getting in front of the Germany center back early on.
"He needs to adapt to the pace of the game," Wenger said of Mertesacker.
Goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny had to be alert to turn Graham's seventh-minute shot around the post and prevent Swansea scoring its first goal since gaining promotion.
Arsenal nearly went in front, though, after 15 minutes after a throughball from Arshavin to Walcott. The England winger had slipped the ball under Vorm and was only denied by Steven Caulker's goal-line clearance.
Although Swansea was mostly on the backfoot in the first half and Arsenal piled on the pressure, the breakthrough came after the gift from Vorm.
The goal also owed much to the vision of Arshavin, who had been a target for critics after the United game.
"Arshavin has a very good spirit, he had lost confidence," Wenger said. "People think sometimes he doesn't care. That is not true at all - he does care. He just lost confidence and you can see that he is himself again."
The advantage provided by the Russian was nearly wiped out 10 minutes into the second half when the Premier League's first Welsh team nearly leveled, but the crossbar kept out Scott Sinclair's well struck free kick.
"Swansea makes it difficult because they keep the ball well and on the flanks they are very quick," Wenger said.
At the other end, Robin van Persie dribbled through the Swansea defense before clipping the post, while Arsenal's Netherlands striker also struck over later in the match.
Van Persie came off with nine minutes to go and replacement Marouane Chamakh was set up by Kieran Gibbs' cross but his connecting header lacked power and was saved by Vorm.
"When you come to place like Emirates you have to stop the flow of play, and we did that," Swansea assistant manager Colin Pascoe said.
Assistants Pascoe and Alan Curtis coached Swansea as manager Brendan Rodgers missed the game following the death of his father.
? 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/44467022/ns/sports-soccer/
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